Norfolk


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="769" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown2-copy-2-769x1000.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-45074" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown2-copy-2-769x1000.jpg 769w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown2-copy-2-615x800.jpg 615w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown2-copy-2-768x998.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown2-copy-2-404x525.jpg 404w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown2-copy-2.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 769px) 100vw, 769px" /></figure>



<p>Matthew Owsley-Brown&#8217;s foodie CV is long and impressive, and he&#8217;s certainly had some adventures along the way. Catering for the star-studded BAFTAs afterparty, working for Rick Stein and Anton Mosimann, and owning a swish Burnham Market restaurant for nine years &#8211; that&#8217;s just for starters! These days he shines a light on simple, authentic food inspired by his love of travel, which you can sample through his West Norfolk <a href="https://norfolk.muddystilettos.co.uk/little-black-book/directory/owsley-brown-catering-company-west-norfolk/">Owsley-Brown Catering Company</a>, with its seasonal pop-up tipi restaurant often only using ingredients from the garden. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-your-first-job-in-the-kitchen">Your first job in the kitchen?</h2>



<p>My very first job in a kitchen was at the long-defuncted restaurant, the Brasserie on Belleville Road in Wandsworth, just up the street from where Marco Pierre White had his first restaurant a little later on. It was a great learning curve in how <em>not </em>to run a restaurant. The owner was in debt to the London mafia. The electricity was once turned off by the bailiffs in the middle of a Saturday night service and the laundry hadn’t been collected for such a long time it started to smoulder and nearly burnt the place down. He and the head chef both ended up in prison.</p>



<p>My first proper job, however, after three years at Westminster Catering College, was an amazing year working for Anton Mosimann at the Belfry in Belgravia as a commis chef.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-career-highlight">Career highlight?</h2>



<p>Owning and running Fishes Restaurant in Burnham Market. A very popular seafood restaurant back in the early 2000s. We owned and ran it for nine years.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-your-biggest-influence">Your biggest influence?</h2>



<p>Possibly my greatest influence is the food of India with its amazing diversity and range of flavours. I once worked as a ‘stage’ (an unpaid internship) for a very generous and talented chef called Cyrus Todiwala at a great restaurant in the city called Café Spice Namaste. I’ve had a tandoori oven in my kitchens ever since!</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/07/Owsley-Brown-Catering-Company7.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-42884" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/07/Owsley-Brown-Catering-Company7.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/07/Owsley-Brown-Catering-Company7-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/07/Owsley-Brown-Catering-Company7-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/07/Owsley-Brown-Catering-Company7-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/07/Owsley-Brown-Catering-Company7-525x525.jpg 525w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/07/Owsley-Brown-Catering-Company7-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption>Pop-up in the Paddock</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sum-up-your-food-philosophy">Sum up your food philosophy?</h2>



<p>I’ve never been one for over-complicated, fussy food. I like honest, well flavoured and authentic food. To me taste is everything and it has to look delicious of course. I think the Italians have got it right. Simple but top quality seasonal ingredients cooked with love and passion. I love our seasonal Pop-up in the Paddock restaurant where we often only use ingredients from the garden.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-most-memorable-moment-at-work">Most memorable moment at work?</h2>



<p>I suppose there are many over the years. One does stand out, when I was working for a wonderful Danish restaurateur called Soren Jessen at Noble Rot in Mayfair in the late 90s. We used to host the BAFTA afterparties and at the end of service at one year, Dustin Hoffman came into the kitchen with his daughter and very politely asked if he could have an omelette only with egg whites. He used to work in kitchens in New York when he was a struggling actor, and I told him he could make his own if he wanted. He headed off to the cold room and fetched the eggs. While he was making the dubious culinary delight, we had a great chat for about an hour on food and fame. The next morning there was piece in <em>The Sun</em> saying Dustin Hoffman goes missing at the BAFTA party with the headline &#8216;A scramble for Dustin&#8217;.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ever-cooked-for-anyone-famous">Ever cooked for anyone famous?</h2>



<p>I remember especially cooking for Bill Nighy every day for about a week at Fishes when he was up in North Norfolk filming with Eddie Redmayne. What an awesome geezer and he was so kind and generous with his time with our two young children.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="769" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown4-769x1000.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-45080" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown4-769x1000.jpg 769w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown4-615x800.jpg 615w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown4-768x998.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown4-404x525.jpg 404w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown4.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 769px) 100vw, 769px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-your-biggest-mistake-at-work">Your biggest mistake at work?</h2>



<p>I remember when I was working for Rick Stein at the Seafood restaurant in Padstow in the early 1990s. I had been working such long hours and was very tired. Rick realised I’d been seasoning the fish all evening with sugar and not salt. That did not go down well.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-you-re-tired-starving-and-impatient-what-do-you-cook-for-dinner">You’re tired, starving and impatient: what do you cook for dinner?</h2>



<p>Baked beans on toast naturally.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-would-you-cook-to-impress-a-date">What would you cook to impress a date?</h2>



<p>Wild sea bass with beurre rouge and beurre blanc is one of my wife’s favourites</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-favourite-chef">Favourite chef?</h2>



<p>Henry Harris. I worked for him at the Fifth Floor at Harvey Nichols in the mid 90s where Henry gave me my first opportunity to be head chef of the café serving 1,000 covers a day. A great chef with deep roots in French cuisine by way of Simon Hopkinson.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-favourite-cookbook">Favourite cookbook?</h2>



<p>Any Indian cookbook but <em>Dishoom</em> springs to mind.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown1-copy.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-45072" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown1-copy.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown1-copy-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown1-copy-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown1-copy-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-favourite-type-of-cuisine">Favourite type of cuisine</h2>



<p>Indian and Italian.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-favourite-kitchen-gadget">Favourite kitchen gadget</h2>



<p>My tandoor. My trusty charcoal fired clay oven has stayed with me for many years. You can’t beat the particular flavour created in that inferno. If you are slapping naan breads in on the side, don’t miss!</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown2-copy.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-45075" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown2-copy.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown2-copy-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown2-copy-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown2-copy-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-favourite-local-cafe-restaurant-hotel">Favourite local café? Restaurant? Hotel?</h2>



<p>Wittles in Castle Acre for the best bike stop off. The Old Bank Snettisham for the best food in Norfolk in my opinion.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-your-three-favourite-local-markets-and-suppliers">Your three favourite local markets and suppliers?</h2>



<p>Julian of Howards Butchers in Gayton, Deena at Donaldsons Fishmongers in King&#8217;s Lynn, and Lucy Birnie&#8217;s organic vegetable gardens in West Lexham.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-favourite-things-to-eat-on-holiday">Favourite things to eat on holiday?</h2>



<p>Locally caught seafood.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-mistake-do-inexperienced-cooks-tend-to-make">What mistake do inexperienced cooks tend to make?</h2>



<p>‘Mis en place’ &#8211; everything in its place &#8211; is the name of the game. It is so important to work cleanly, methodically and get all the work done ready for service. It’s vital for the training chef only to work in good establishments where you will get the essential grounding for your future professional life. You need to put in the hard graft from the start.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/07/Owsley-Brown-Catering-Company1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-42878" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/07/Owsley-Brown-Catering-Company1.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/07/Owsley-Brown-Catering-Company1-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/07/Owsley-Brown-Catering-Company1-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/07/Owsley-Brown-Catering-Company1-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/07/Owsley-Brown-Catering-Company1-525x525.jpg 525w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/07/Owsley-Brown-Catering-Company1-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-favourite-ingredient-and-why">Favourite ingredient and why?</h2>



<p>Salt. Apart from the high blood pressure aspect, there is nothing better than perfectly seasoned freshly dug new potatoes. Ratio 20g salt to 1 litre of water. Heaven.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-most-overrated-dish-ingredient">Most overrated dish/ingredient?</h2>



<p>Tonka bean. Smells like moth balls.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-dish-you-are-most-proud-of-creating">The dish you are most proud of creating?</h2>



<p>That’s a hard one to pin down as food is so transient and fashionable. You are always looking forward to the next idea for a dish. The searching never stops.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tell-us-your-best-ever-cooking-tip">Tell us your best ever cooking tip?</h2>



<p>Marry someone who is equally interested in good food.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="769" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown3-copy-2-769x1000.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-45077" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown3-copy-2-769x1000.jpg 769w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown3-copy-2-615x800.jpg 615w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown3-copy-2-768x998.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown3-copy-2-404x525.jpg 404w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/09/matthew-owsley-brown3-copy-2.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 769px) 100vw, 769px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-three-dishes-every-home-cook-should-master">Three dishes every home cook should master?</h2>



<p>Homemade pasta &#8211; bought just doesn’t compare and it’s fun to make. Make a decent curry or five. Make a proper Sunday roast and know what you can get done ahead of time to make it stress-free.</p>



<p><strong><em>You can try Matthew&#8217;s cooking through his bespoke catering service <a href="https://owsley-brown.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Owsley-Brown Catering Company</a> and at the seasonal&nbsp;Pop-up in the Paddock in West Bilney, nr King&#8217;s Lynn</em></strong>.</p>


What’s Cooking? With Matthew Owsley-Brown

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